Mold and Germs Could Be Lurking in Your Coffee Maker in Minnesota

It's one of those appliances you probably use every day, either at home, at work or both. And you probably don't clean it as often as you should.

That's the word from the National Safety Foundation about those coffee makers we all use just about every day. Did you know that dependable coffee maker could be chock full of mold and germs?!?

It's true, mainly because we don't clean them anywhere near as often as we should here in Minnesota. And, we're not talking the carafe or coffee pot here-- the germiest, possibly moldiest part of the coffee maker is the reservoir that holds the water. It has the two ingredients mold and germs like best-- moisture and warmth.

In fact, the NSF study found that "half of coffee makers had yeast and mold growing in their reservoirs. About one in ten were home to coliform bacteria. On average, home coffee reservoirs also had higher germ counts than both bathroom door handles and toilet seats," the study said.

Yikes. That's not good. And, if, like me, you can't really even remember the last time you cleaned your coffee maker, there is good news. Fortunately, you don't need any fancy cleaning solution to get rid of any potential mold or germs. Just letting several cups of white vinegar sit in the reservoir for about 30 or 40 minutes will do the trick. After that, run the vinegar through the maker as you normally would-- but without putting in any coffee, of course. Then run clean water through the maker 2 or 3 times to get rid of the vinegar smell. The story said that should clean things up nicely.

And, they recommend you don't just clean it out now and then forget about it again. The NSF story says most coffee makers recommend a cleaning every 40 to 60 brew cycles or about once a month. Check the owner’s manual for cleaning procedures recommended for your coffee maker. You can get more info from the NSF HERE.

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